Ornament Designs
ca.1670âca.1700
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-238-9
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean Bérain the Elder1640–1711), a leading French designer and engraver, created *Ornament Designs* around 1670–1700, during the opulent reign of Louis XIV As a favored artist at the royal court, Bérain intricate motifs for Versailles, opera stages, and furnishings, embodying the grandeur of the French Baroque. His prints captured the era's *goût français*—elegant, symmetrical patterns blending acanthus leaves, scrolls, and fantastical grotesques inspired by ancient Roman decoration. These designs, classified as prints in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, highlight the revolut...